1Faculty of Fisheries, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima-890 0064, Japan
2Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi-753 8515, Japan
3Deputy Chief Livestock Officer, Paro, Bhutan
4Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 104, The Netherlands
Joint Faculty, Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima-890–0064, Japan
*Corresponding author: mtakagi@agri.kagoshima-u.ac.jp
Online published on 24 October, 2013.
To study on the monthly variations of zearalenone (ZEN) concentration of dairy cattle reared in standard farm conditions (herd size=20 cows), randomly collected samples of urine (5–7 cows) and their total mixed ration (TMR) collected at monthly intervals were measured for ZEN concentration by ELISA. In addition, somatic cell count (SCC) of individual cow obtained from their monthly milking record was included for the analysis to illustrate its relationship, if any, with urinary ZEN concentration. A significant difference (P<0.05) was observed between the urinary ZEN concentrations of December and April, and December and July; however no significant correlation was observed with respect to ZEN concentration of TMR. Further, there no significant correlation was observed between the urinary ZEN concentration and the SCC. In conclusion, our results highlight not only the monthly (seasonally) variation existing under the standard dairy farming condition, but also the usefulness of urinary ZEN monitoring method as a tool to assess and evaluate the natural mycotoxin contamination in dairy farms.
Cattle, Periodic variation, Urine, Zearalenone
